Thief caught out by neighbourhood officers

A thief who was caught out by neighbourhood officers has been ordered to complete unpaid work.

Cristian Grigore, 29, was stopped by the officers in Westgate, Peterborough city centre, on 7 April, after council enforcement officers reported a man with a rock.

He was found with stolen items from Poundland, in Broadway, and River Island, in Queensgate shopping centre.

Grigore had also stolen from Deichmann, in Queensgate shopping centre, on 7 April, John Lewis, in Downing Street, Cambridge, on 6 March, and attempted to steal from John Lewis, in Downing Street, on 24 March but was stopped by staff.

At Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday (2 May), Grigore, of Clarence Road, Millfield, Peterborough, was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £598 in compensation, after pleading guilty to the thefts as well as assault by beating, after he spat at staff in Ladbrokes, in Lincoln Road, Millfield.

PC William Horsfield, who investigated, said: “Our neighbourhood officers were in the right place at the right time and were able to find Grigore before he could commit more crime.

“I would like to thank those impacted by Grigore’s actions for reporting it to us.”